Devon Brenner, Elfrieda H. Hiebert, & Renarta Tompkins

Abstract

The study that is the centerpiece of this chapter describes the amount of time and the types of texts students spent reading in classrooms required to use a core reading program. Our interest in documenting the reading in which students engaged emanates from the consistent conclusion in past reform efforts that time in itself is not the distinguishing feature of increased performance (Jackson, 1968). What matters in becoming a proficient reader is how students spend their time in schools, and in particular, the amount of time spent reading in which students engage. Since the contexts that we were studying have been influenced strongly by Reading First mandates, we consider first the role of core reading programs and Reading First.